Oneida Flatware and the Betty Crocker Catalog ~ A Vintage Glimpse

One of the reasons I’ve said that buying and selling stainless flatware can be profitable is because of the memories and emotions involved. People want items they remember from their childhood or want to recapture the feelings they had while eating at Grandma’s house. A big contributor to this later effect was the popularity of collecting Oneida flatware from the Betty Crocker Catalog.

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One of the longest running coupon redemption programs, the Betty Crocker program began slowly in the late 1920s, with first a spoon, then coupons, being inserted into bags of General Mills flour. After awhile, coupons with points were printed right on the product packages directing people to a catalog where they could find “fine kitchen and home accessories” including Oneida flatware.

Countless families collected sets of both silverplate and stainless flatware patterns from the Betty Crocker catalog. Moms collected for themselves, and even started putting together sets for their daughters’ hope chests.
The result today? Memories.

1970s Catalog – Image from Pinterest (I just sold a spoon in that Viola pattern shown on the front. 🙂 )

I get countless comments from people purchasing replacement pieces of Oneida flatware explaining how they were recreating their Grandma’s set or had inherited their mother’s and wanted to fill in the last few pieces.

When I began selling replacement flatware, I would research patterns and see “Betty Crocker” in the listing or in the description on replacements.com. I learned why the name was included when I learned about the catalog. But I really never understood the process until one day I came across (while thrifting) a large bag of unredeemed Betty Crocker flatware coupons.

What a fabulous glimpse into the past! One of the Oneida stainless flatware patterns that has gained popularity recently is the very atomic Twin Star pattern. One of my favorites to find and sell. There were several coupons for that in the stash I found.

As you can see, the coupon wasn’t limited to just one pattern. It also worked on Queen Bess, hollowware and cookbooks. Very smart!

One of the clippings also gave some insight about how you could collect your pieces faster. Just use less coupons and pay more money! You could choose either the “Speed Plan” or the “Thrift Plan”.

What about you? Does the Betty Crocker catalog bring back memories? Do you have a set of flatware that was passed on to you? Share your memories below!

I think a lot of people have a lot of them! That being said, younger generations sometimes like to collect the same cookbooks they know their mom or grandma had. I’ve sold a few individually and I think some from the same era would do well lotted up.
Also there are some to look out for…certain covers. The New Picture Cook Book is a good one, the red and white picture cookbook, the “pie cover” one…and first editions will get you more money as well. Also, there’s a Dinner For Two that has illustrations by Charley Harper that is collectible. 🙂

I enjoyed reading your post about collecting flatware and the Betty Crocker catalog. For some reason, your photos wouldn’t load. I tried a few times, but they appear as broken links. I haven’t had that problem on any of your other posts, but thought you would want to know. Thank you for sharing at Vintage Charm!

We saved–and fought over– those coupons! My thrifty Aunt (she saved “tin” foil), collected tons of those coupons but didn’t use them for herself, tho she had two daughters who might have liked them. On a visit once the fact we were saving them for flatware for our hope chests cme up, and Auntie tried to recall where she’d stashed them. My little cousin (adorable 6/7 y/o) piped up, “Oh, you mean the “Good-Towards”??

I collect it the whole set of Twin Star Pot and Pans and have it for many years, still looking good as the day I got them. I used them every day since. I also got many other items and still have them. My friend has the whole flatware on Twin Star, she was the one who got me started. We’re still friends(55yrs.) and still collecting Betty Crocker home items. Thank you BC for all the good items you offer to all the homemakers.

You are so right about people looking for the flatware of their childhoods! I am doing just that and can not seem to find the name of the pattern of my flatware. My grandmother collected this set and gave it to my mother, and I believe it was through the Betty Crocker catalog. I was able to find a set on eBay and purchased it, but the listing did not have the name of the pattern. That was the only set I have been able to find anywhere, either for purchase or even just a picture/description.

My Grandma got her Patrick Henry set from the BC catalogue. My mom got her Chatelaine from the catalogue, and when I was about nine, Grandma sat me down, and told me to pick out my pattern. To her horror, I chose Via Roma. To her credit, that’s what she started collecting for me. I started collecting for my oldest daughter, but they discontinued the catalogue. (HOW could they do that?? It was a rite of passage!)

My mother collected Betty Crocker coupons and ordered sets for herself, myself, my sister, aunts and cousins building sets for years! She’s gone now, but left me many memories about this….and coupons. Several tins of coupons, and even a couple of the catalogs. A SEMO reader.